[McIDAS #YRE-448128]: McIDAS-X software

Hi Nick,

re:
> Here is the original URL I found:
> http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/software/mcidas/2006/mclearn/enhance-1.html

OK, so you are looking at our website AND more specifically at a learning module
that I co-authored.

> I found the site through a general search for ' grayscale improvement
> software' or something similar.  I wasn't searching for anything by name.
> The example on that site is what caught my attention.  If we could make the
> change from 'Original Image' to 'Contrast stretched image' shown there much
> obscured text could be made legible.

The reason that the result of the grayscale enhancement is so dramatic for
Water Vapor imagery is that the information in the images lies between a very
narrow range of brightness values.  While this may seem like a natural fit
to your problem, it probably isn't since the images need to be displayable
in McIDAS, and McIDAS does not work with raster type images (e.g., GIF, JPEG,
etc.) (it can save displays in raster format, but not re-import them back
into the display space).

A couple of things come to mind:

- McIDAS is most likely _not_ the application you are looking for.  Believe
  me when I say that if I thought it was, I would tell you (i.e., I am not
  trying to "fluff you off"

- if you have any experience using Linux, you should try using the Gimp since it
  has a number of excellent facilities for working with raster images you
  could make from your microfiche

- if you use Windows machines, a package like PhotoShop might provide the image
  enhancement features you need

Cheers,

Tom
****************************************************************************
Unidata User Support                                    UCAR Unidata Program
(303) 497-8642                                                 P.O. Box 3000
address@hidden                                   Boulder, CO 80307
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unidata HomePage                       http://www.unidata.ucar.edu
****************************************************************************


Ticket Details
===================
Ticket ID: YRE-448128
Department: Support McIDAS
Priority: Normal
Status: Closed